Pacific / Papua New Guinea

PNG truckers 'relieved' by start of Highlands Highway repairs

20:19 pm on 21 January 2019

Truck drivers in Papua New Guinea's Highlands provinces are welcoming repairs slated for the Highlands Highway.

Landslide on Highlands Highway near Goroka in Eastern Highlands Photo: RNZI/Melvin Levongo

On Friday, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill launched the Highlands Highway rehabilitation project in the Eastern Highlands town of Goroka.

Work on the more than 400-kilometre stretch of road is expected to be completed within the next 10 years.

The nearly $US900 million project has been awarded to three Chinese construction companies.

Our correspondent in PNG, Melvin Levongo, said truckers are hoping for a break from potholes, roadblocks and other challenges they face on the highway.

He said they are relieved by it because the road isn't in good condition, they used to struggle in terms of the road, the road isn't really good sometimes. The big trucks used to capsize on the road, scooters have been stolen.